Impact of Carotid atheroma on cardiovascular risk in Mauritanian hypertensive patients.

AIM: To determine the prevalence of carotid atheroma in hypertensive patients and assess the levels of cardiovascular risk. METHODS: This is a prospective study that took place in the outpatient department of the National Cardiology Center of Nouakchott over a period of 6 months (October 2019 to March 2020). Patients with hypertension without complications were included. Patients lost to followup and those whose records were incomplete were excluded from the study. RESULTS: Out of a total of 171 patients, a total of 93 patients (54.38%) was collected, of which 54.8% were women, 55.9% of the patients in the series were over 50 years old.The associated cardiovascular risk factors were dominated by dyslipidemia (27.9%), diabetes (20.4%), smoking (26.8%). hypertension was grade 2 in 47.3% of patients and grade 3 in 52.7% of patients. Left ventricular hypertrophy was noted in 77.4% of patients. Echo-Doppler of the supra-aortic trunks revealed atherosclerotic plaques in 63.4% of patients. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of carotid atheroma in hypertensive patients at high cardiovascular risk level was frequent in our series, it follows from this to recommend early detection for optimal management.

[Consultation of congenital heart diseases in pediatric cardiology in Mauritania]. / Cardiopathies congenitales rencontrees en consultation de cardiologie pediatrique en mauritanie.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to describe the epidemiological profile of congenital heart diseases in Mauritanian children. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Our population was composed of children referred by the different cardiologists of the country on the occasion of two missions of pediatric cardiologists in December 2001 and November 2002. All patients had physical examination, chest radiogram, electrocardiogram, and echocardiogram. RESULTS: There were 84 patients aged between 2 months and 16 years. Mean age was 6.1 +/- 5.0 years. Forty eight children (57.1%) were males and 36 (43.9%) females (sex ratio was 1.3). Ventricular septal defect (17%), tetralogy of Fallot (13%) and pulmonary stenosis (12%) were the predominant pathologiese. Surgery was initially indicated for in 61 infants (73%), realized in 22 of them (26%) and considered out of date in 10 patients (12%). CONCLUSION: Congenital heart diseases pose a major problem of treatment in Mauritania. They are dominated by the left to right shunts. The age of diagnosis is relatively late (6 years) exposing to the risk of complications. Therefore, a team of paediatric cardiologists on the spot and the setting up of cardiovascular surgery facilities are necessary.